Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Following on from the success of the a world with more cake October auction which raised $65 for The Heart Lung Transplant Trust Victoria its time to auction off another cake. It is impossible not to be saddened and sickened by the situation that is happening to the 600+ people on Manus Island, yes people, not just words like"refugees"or "illegals" but people like you and me.When I was a kid I believed that when people were in need Australia just picked up tools and came to the rescue, that's what being Australian meant. I dread to think how kids growing up now will remember aspects of current Australia.This month the cake to be auctioned is my strawberry and black pepper cake with the proceeds going to the Asylum Seeker Resource CentreThe auction will close on the 11/11/17

The Rules:

Bid by making a comment with your maximum bid

Cake pickup/deliver is only melbourne based

Cake will be baked after auction and exchange time has been arranged to ensure freshness

Bids will be displayed in the comments below

Payment is via paypal

Sadly this cake didn't have the same interest as the previous auction aka ZERO so as they say in the classics if you want something done do it yourself! $211.37 donated to ASRC.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

I doubt it will come as a shock that increasingly our social media feeds are really just a synopsis of all that is broken in the world.Our phones becomes an endless scroll of our departed music idols, publicised terrorist attacks and a catalogue of human cruelness and suffering. I say publicised terrorist attack knowing full well there are many more attacks in parts of the world we will never ever hear about on the news.We can show our social media support for programs like Go back to Where You Come From and Filthy Rich and Homeless but I doubt a re tweet ever stops you being hungry.

There is a point while wishing someone will do something about this that you work out that you are in fact someone.

This moment came for me a few of months ago during my normal commute when I saw a poster than had been defaced with a swastika. I got really angry and knew I had no option but to fix it. I have no idea why I felt so passionate about this but knew this symbol was not going to become part of my community.

During my day I'd been planning what I could do, clean it off? Draw over it? In the end after a quick trip to officeworks, covering it up with a heart was the best option.

So while I may not be a political genius or the most diligent human rights activist, I can make a fairly decent cake. And I'm sure every baker would agree if you are going to change the world it would be foolish to do that on an empty stomach!Over the next 12 months I will be auctioning off a cake/baked good a month and donating the proceeds to different charities.The cake will be Melbourne based but that doesn't stop anyone from participating as you may nominate someone else to receive your cake if you aren't local. To bid all you need to do is comment below with your maximum bid and this delicious cake could be yours!

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

There are so many wonderful podcasts about food and eating that I wanted to create a list where I could keep a track of them. This list will be a degustation of foodie podcasts with more added over time as I discover them. Please share your favourite foodie podcasts so a place can be set for them.

Firstly some shameless self promotion but I host Refreshments Provided with my mate Carly Findlay and she would kill me if I didn't mention us!

Our podcast is really summed up by the tagline "you can't be sure where the conversation will go but there will always be Refreshments Provided..."

Rather than talk ourselves up, this is what some of our wonderful listeners have said about us.....the money is in the mail!

"Refreshing, authentic & charming.

Just like sitting around the kitchen table with a couple of friends. Refreshments Provided is full of incite & thought provoking topics. I love that Carly & Jason can flit from the hottest shows on Netflix to reworking our thinking on disability. A joy to listen to" - han_loo itunes

"A comfortable catch up with good friends. It would be perfect if only I could snack on the delicious food discussed." -Jo_Aus itunes

Ingredipedia a "factual food fight podcast" hosted by Emily Naismith and Ben Birchall. They go head to head in a battle for the most interesting fact, moment in history, childhood memory or experimental recipe featuring the episode's theme ingredient. There is particular attention paid to the American civil war and the musical genius that is the La Porchetta theme song.

The Dinner Special podcast is hosted by Gabriel Soh chats his "food heroes" - food writers, food bloggers, food photographers about their passion for food.

Olive Magazine Podcast is a glimpse into what is hot and happening in the UK food and drink scene as well as a companion to the magazine.

The Pass "Australia's newest food podcast" has host Magdalena Roze catch up with well known chefs to discuss their favourite restaurants and food experiences.

This Melbourne based podcast hosted by Jay Clough explores the food culture of the world's most livable city. Scoff is informative, energizing and unapologetically ranty.

Kimberly Wilson of Great British Bake Off fame hosts Food and Psych podcast chatting with guest about food and the significance or influence it plays on culture.

With the explosion of "crack" single handedly keeping the production of the Salada alive Chat 10 Looks 3 cements it's identity as Australia's most influential food podcast. Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb pepper their chats about politics, Helen Garner and the Americans with discussions of baking and a lust for Ottolenghi.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

So much of a recipe is all about the "elements" coming together. Skills we have learnt, things we have been given, inspiration we have borrowed all converging on the plate. This salad is a classic example of something borrowed, gifted and stolen.A couple of month ago I went to my second Scarf dinner (pop ups that give young people hand on experience in the hospitality industry) and experienced my first crispy buckwheat in cauliflower dish. The texture was life changing and I had to make it!

Crispy buckwheatIngredients

130g raw buckwheat

25g butter

10 g olive oil

Pinch of salt

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

Add buckwheat to a bowl and cover with cold water

Soak for 30 mins

Drain and shake of excess water

In a non stick fry pan heat butter and oil over medium heat

Add buckwheat and stir gently as it toasts about 8 minutes

When buckwheat is crisp and brown add balsamic vinegar and coat grains

Take off heat and spread flat on a large tray to cool

I used my cast iron pot for the photo but prefer to use a non stick frypan the other times I've made it

The fermented garlic honey came from an episode of Andy and Ben Eat Australia where they visit The Fermentary in Daylesford which only encouraged my baby steps into fermenting. The smell of the bubbling honey for any garlic lover is heaven and while I'm not a doctor, with an occasion teaspoon I've had no signs of man flu this winter. Garlic honey labnehIngredient

Saturday, June 17, 2017

A couple of weekends ago I pulled out the last of the zucchini plants as winter has definitely arrived.I thought I should have done this a couple of weeks earlier but to my surprise I still had a couple of zucchini wilfully hanging onto their glorious summer.

May 2017

While many talk about a zucchini glut, an abundance of zucchinis should really be thought of as a privilege. Earlier this year there was a shortage of zucchinis (courgettes) in the UK sparking the #courgettecrisis. I suspect this was heavily due to it being winter and another reminder that natural champions seasonal eating.The zucchini is a powerhouse of versatility and adds a beautiful moistness to these waffles, aka gentrified zucchini fritters.Seriously there is nothing hipsters love more than an appliance based food item with a craft beer delivered by drone, lamington jaffle anyone?

Zucchini wafflesIngredients - make about 2 large waffles

1 medium zucchini 200g

1 small red onion finely diced

85g self raising flour

125ml milk

1 large egg

50g feta, crumbled

50g cheddar, crumbled

2 tbsp chopped mint

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Grate the zucchini into a bowl lined with a clean tea towel

Gather up the edges of the tea towel and squeeze out excess liquid

Add all ingredient to a mixing bowl and combine

Heat waffle iron and spray with oil

Spoon half the mix into the waffle iron (depending on the size of your waffle maker)

Cook for about 6 minutes (always wise to check out your own machine's instructions)

Optional serve with poached eggs and garnish with thinly sliced red onions, basil, parsley, mint and more fetta. My secret weapon is a drizzle of agrumato a lime olive oil.